They reached Burndan after another full day of riding. Their titled steeds were beginning to wear down, their breathing heavy and their coats glistening with sweat. They stopped one last time off the main road to feed and water them before they moved on.Burndan was a gloomy country from what he’d seen so far. Dark forests. Gray skies, and craggy peaks in the distance. There was a stark beauty to it though. Riding the titled stallion through it had reminded him of driving through Appalachia. They were tired, but alert. They’d gone over the plan thoroughly, so there was nothing else to talk about. Gabriel appeared still and calm, but Michael could feel the anxiety radiating from him. He placed a hand on his shoulder. His son jumped for a moment before settling and nodding at him.They all mounted back up and rode for some time before Gabriel slowed down and took his horse into the woods off the main path. They’d been riding on a twisty path through the mountains for nearly an hour at that point. They all followed him, tying off their titled horses and continuing through the thick forests on foot. Ollie cast a thorough muffle on them and they proceeded in absolute silence. They began walking in the late afternoon and as dusk was falling they reached the estate.The forest was all cleared for about one hundred yards outside of the walls. The Estate itself was built into a mountain, with treacherous and sheer cliffs all around it, and there were three large watchtowers placed along the front wall. It was more fortress than manor, just as Gabriel had described, and the dark stone silhouetted by the setting sun made it look all the more imposing, as if it was made of darkness itself.Ollie began chanting silently under his breath, and the rest of them gathered close to him and bent their legs, waiting. As he finished his spell, a portal opened at their feet and they all fell a short distance, landing directly against the wall. He took (...)